Benicio Del Toro Out Of Predator Reboot As Narcos Star Set To Replace Actor

According to THR, Boyd Holbrook looks ready to fill the breech left by Benicio Del Toro for the upcoming Predator reboot. Talks have said to have broken down between the 49-year old veteran of such films as Guardians of the Galaxy, The Usual Suspects, Traffic and Escobar: Paradise Lost. The studio is ironically moving onto a man that has done well in the television spin off of the Colombian drug pin, Narcos with Boyd Holbrook.

20th Century Fox and director Shane Black did not want to disclose the reasoning behind the parting of ways at the negotiating table. But with Holbrook impressing recently on the small screen they seem to have found their Plan B.

Studio Clearly Wanted Del Toro From The Start

There is no way to dress up the fact Boyd Holbrook is a back up option for Black and Fox. The signs were always there that Benicio Del Toro was earmarked to be the star. Case in point. The starting date of production was pushed back from later in 2016 to February of 2017 to incorporate his busy schedule. A schedule that included a sequel to Sicario among other ambitious projects that would take up a lot of hours.

The dancing and delaying back and forth had a detrimental effect. And before long it came to an impasse where both parties felt it necessary to go their separate ways. Insider sources believe this change will have an impact on the supporting cast, as they want to "beef up" the credentials of the other players in order to help Holbrook's cause.

Holbrook Taking a Step Up To The Big Stage

Portraying real life American detective Steve Murphy as he chased and hunted down Pablo Escobar was a challenge Boyd Holbrook excelled at. Just look at the Netflix ratings. Yet the next Predator installment will offer a different challenge. Taking an extended cameo in Gone Girl next to Ben Affleck in 2014, the man from Kentucky is finding out what the top end of Hollywood is really like. Only released this week, it was confirmed that he will play the role of Donald Pierce in the Wolverine spin off Logan.

That makes for a busy schedule as audiences will wait eagerly to see what Black, Fox and now Holbrook can produce from the 1987 original blockbuster. The franchise has lost it's bluster since Schwarzenegger's franchise opener 29 years ago. But that doesn't mean it hasn't maintained a nostalgic following. The pressure will therefore be on for all parties to deliver now we know they're dealing with a fill in.